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Why you may need to repay
If you made a mistake or your situation changed after you applied for the Canada Dental Benefit, you may no longer meet the eligibility criteria. You will have to return any amounts you were not eligible for.
If your child was eligible and their dental costs were less than you received, you do not need to return any unused amounts.
Determine if you need to repay benefit amounts
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Find information based on your situation
- Your child's appointment was moved or they did not go
- You received a letter from the CRA
- Your child had access to a private dental insurance plan
- Your child's dental costs were covered by another government program
- Your child's dental costs were less than expected
- You did not meet the eligibility criteria
- None of the above
Your child's appointment was moved or they did not go
If you applied for a payment in period 1 and your child still received dental care between October 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023
You can keep the benefit
Based on your response, you can keep the benefit for your child.
You did not have to call the CRA if your child's dental appointment was rescheduled within the same benefit period.
Keep your receipts for 6 years in case the CRA needs to validate your eligibility. Your receipt needs to show you paid for your child's dental care. Services provided for free or fully covered by another government program are not eligible for the Canada Dental Benefit.
If you applied for a payment in period 1 and your child did not receive dental care between October 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023
You will need to repay
If your child did not receive dental care in this benefit period, you must repay the amount you received for that child.
If you applied for a payment in period 2 and your child still received dental care between July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024
You can keep the benefit
Based on your response, you can keep the benefit for your child.
You did not have to call the CRA if your child's dental appointment was rescheduled within the same benefit period.
Keep your receipts for 6 years in case the CRA needs to validate your eligibility.
If you applied for a payment in period 2 and your child did not receive dental care between July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024
You will need to repay
If your child did not receive dental care in this benefit period, you must repay the amount you received for that child.
You received a letter from the CRA
Notice of redetermination
Repay the amount from your letter
The CRA has determined that you were not eligible for the benefit. Follow the instructions in your letter to repay the amount due.
If you disagree with the decision, you may be able to request a second review.
Request for information
Provide additional information requested by the CRA
You must respond within 30 days or you may need to repay the benefit. We may call you or your dental care provider to confirm the information you provide.
For details: Validating your application.
Not sure what type of letter
Contact us if you're unsure
In your letter, you may be asked to provide more information to validate your application.
If there is a phone number in your letter, use that number to call us. If you cannot find a phone number, contact the CRA at 1-800-959-8281.
Your child had access to a private dental insurance plan
If you applied before your child went to their appointment and your child had access to dental insurance when they went to their appointment
You must repay
Since your child had access to a private dental insurance plan when they went to their dental appointment, you must repay the benefit.
You must repay the amount for each child who is in the same situation.
If you applied before your child went to their appointment and your child did not have access to dental insurance when they went to their appointment
You can keep the benefit
Since your child did not have access to a private dental insurance plan when they went to their dental appointment, you can keep the benefit.
If you applied after your child went to their appointment and your child had access to dental insurance when you applied
You must repay
Since your child had access to a private dental insurance plan when you applied, you must repay the benefit.
You must repay the amount for each child who is in the same situation.
If you applied after your child went to their appointment and your child did not have access to dental insurance when you applied
You can keep the benefit
Since your child did not have access to a private dental insurance plan when you applied, you can keep the benefit.
If your child had dental appointments both before and after you applied
You may be able to keep the benefit
You may not need to repay if:
- Your child did not have access to dental insurance when you applied, but got insurance later
- Your child had access to dental insurance when you applied but they already received dental care while not insured
If you are still concerned you might need to repay, contact the CRA at 1-800-959-8281.
If you're unsure if your child had access to dental insurance
Contact us if you're unsure
You may not need to repay if:
- Your child did not have access to dental insurance when you applied, but got insurance later
- Your child had access to dental insurance when you applied but they already received dental care while not insured
What counted as access to private dental insurance
Your child was considered to have access to private dental insurance if:
- Some or all of your child's dental costs were covered by a private dental insurance plan of any kind
- Your employer provided a dental insurance plan for your child (including health care spending accounts)
- Your child's other parent or caregiver's employer provided a dental insurance plan for your child (including health care spending accounts)
- You or someone else declined an employer provided dental insurance plan that would have covered the dental care for your child
If you are still concerned you might need to repay, contact the CRA at 1-800-959-8281.
Your child's dental costs were covered by another government program
If the other government program covered all of your child's dental costs
You must repay
Since you did not pay any of your child's dental costs, you must repay the amount you received for that period.
This applies for each child who is in the same situation.
If the other government program did not cover all of your child's dental costs
You can keep the benefit
Since you had to pay for some of your child's dental costs, you can keep the benefit.
If you're unsure if the other government program will cover all of your child's dental costs
Only repay if your child's dental costs are fully covered
If your child's dental costs were fully covered by the other program, you must repay the Canada Dental Benefit.
If you had to pay for some of your child's dental costs, you can keep the payment for that period.
If you are still concerned you might need to repay, contact the CRA at 1-800-959-8281.
If your child's dental costs were less than expected
If your child's dental costs were less than expected for Period 1: Original payment
You can keep the payment if you met the eligibility criteria
If your child was eligible and their dental costs were less than the payment you received, you do not need to return any unused amounts.
You only need to repay the benefit if you did not have any dental costs for your child between October 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023.
If your child's dental costs were more than $650 between October 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023: Period 1 additional payment
You can keep the benefit
If your child's dental costs were more than $650 for services received between October 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023, you can keep the payment.
If your child's dental costs were less than $650 between October 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023: Period 1 additional payment
You must repay if your child's dental costs were less than $650
If your costs were less than $650, you need to repay the amount for the additional payment.
You can keep your original payment if you met the eligibility criteria for that payment.
If your unsure your child's dental costs were less or more than $650 between October 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023: Period 1 additional payment
Contact us if you're unsure about repaying
If your child's dental costs were more than $650 for services received between October 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023, you can keep the payment.
If you are still concerned you might need to repay, contact the CRA at 1-800-959-8281.
If your child's dental costs were less than expected for Period 2: Original payment
You can keep the payment if you met the eligibility criteria
If your child was eligible and their dental costs were less than the payment you received, you do not need to return any unused amounts.
You only need to repay the benefit if you did not have any dental costs for your child between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024.
If your child's dental costs were more than $650 between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024: Period 2 additional payment
You can keep the benefit
If your child's dental costs were more than $650 for services received between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024, you can keep the payment.
If your child's dental costs were less than $650 between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024: Period 2 additional payment
You must repay if your child's dental costs were less than $650
If your costs were less than $650, you need to repay the amount for the additional payment.
You can keep your original payment if you met the eligibility criteria for that payment.
If your unsure your child's dental costs were less or more than $650 between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024: Period 2 additional payment
Contact us if you're unsure about repaying
If your child's dental costs were more than $650 for services received between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024, you can keep the payment.
If you are still concerned you might need to repay, contact the CRA at 1-800-959-8281.
You did not meet the eligibility criteria
If you did not meet the eligibility criteria
You must repay
Since you did not meet the eligibility criteria, you must repay the benefit.
You must repay the amount for each child who was not eligible.
None of the above
If none of the situations above apply to you
Contact us if you're unsure about repaying
You can check if you met the eligibility criteria.
If you are still concerned you might need to repay, contact the CRA at 1-800-959-8281.
If you provided false or misleading information
If you are found to have misrepresented or concealed essential information to make a claim, you were ineligible for the benefit. You will have to return any payments you received.
Penalties may also be applied if you had knowingly provided false or misleading information.
How to repay
If you were not eligible for the Canada Dental Benefit, you must return the amount you received for each child who did not meet the eligibility criteria.
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Find out how much you received
To confirm your amounts received:
- Check your bank statements or cheques
- Check your payments under "Benefits and credits" in your CRA My Account
- Contact the CRA at 1-800-959-8281
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Determine how much to repay
The benefit paid a set amount for each child. You must return the amount you received for each child who was not eligible. The amount you received per child depended on your adjusted family net income.
How shared custody benefit amounts were split
If your child only lived with you part-time, you may have been considered to have shared custody for the Canada Child Benefit (CCB). You would have received half of the dental benefit amount if you shared custody of your child and were splitting the CCB.
Both parents could have applied for the dental benefit if they were eligible. The amount you received would have been 50% of the benefit amount based on your own adjusted family net income. This means you may have received a different amount than your child's other parent.
The dental benefit used the same custody arrangement as the CCB as of:
- December 1, 2022 for the first benefit period
- July 1, 2023 for the second benefit period
The Canada Revenue Agency used your adjusted family net income from:
- 2021 for dental care received between October 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023
- 2022 for dental care received between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024
Benefit amounts per eligible child
Adjusted family net income Full custody amount Shared custody amount less than $70,000 $650 $325 $70,000 to $79,999 $390 $195 $80,000 to $89,999 $260 $130 -
Make a repayment
You can make your repayment to the CRA online, by mail, or in person.
For options, go to make a payment.
If you have the original cheque
You should only return the original cheque if you need to repay the full amount. You may return it by mail to the address below.
- Revenue Processing – Repayment of Canada Dental Benefit
Sudbury Tax Centre
1050 Notre Dame Avenue
Sudbury ON P3A 0C3
Be sure to include:
- The reason for returning the cheque ("not entitled" or "overpayment")
- Your Social Insurance Number (SIN)
If you cannot pay in full
The CRA does not charge interest on Canada Dental Benefit debts.
If you need more time to repay
Contact the CRA to help you arrange to pay your debt over time.
If the CRA has already contacted you about your debt, get details for the collection of overpayments.
If you do not repay
If you are unable to pay your debt right now or unable to pay it at all, contact the CRA to discuss your options.
The CRA may keep all or a portion of future payments, income tax refunds, or goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) credits until your balance owing is repaid.
This may also apply to other federal, provincial, and territorial programs that the CRA administers.
- Revenue Processing – Repayment of Canada Dental Benefit
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